Speaking to
reporters in the Oval Office on June 4, Trump said he was optimistic about the
outcome of bilateral trade negotiations between the two countries. “We will get to a deal because I like your
prime minister a lot. He is a good friend of mine. We get along great, and we
are gonna make a deal,” Trump said.
At the same time,
Trump reiterated his longstanding concerns over India’s tariff regime, stating
that India had benefited from past U.S. trade policies and imposed high duties
on American companies.
“They charged tremendous amounts of tariffs to our
companies, and we didn’t charge them anything,” he said.
The remarks come as
trade negotiations between Washington and New Delhi gather momentum. A U.S.
delegation concluded four days of discussions in India on June 4 aimed at
finalizing an interim bilateral trade agreement. India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry
said the negotiations were conducted in a spirit of cooperation and pragmatism,
with both sides reaffirming their commitment to achieving a mutually beneficial
agreement. The ministry noted that the proposed pact is expected to strengthen
bilateral trade, improve market access, and deepen economic ties between the
world’s two largest democracies.
The ongoing
discussions are part of broader efforts by both nations to expand trade and
investment cooperation amid growing strategic and economic engagement between
India and the United States.